Guided Writing is an opportunity for the teacher to work intensively with a small group of students who share similar learning needs. Guided Writing often follows Shared Writing. The Guided Writing group may be a longer term group, or it may be an occasional group formed for a specific instructional objective.

The students, sitting with the teacher, construct their texts individually in their own draft books. The teacher supports them closely in finding the best way to meet their learning goal.

Although this approach to Writing is most often employed with students who need extra support, it is equally useful for extending high achievers and, indeed, all students.

Guided Writing provides students with additional scaffolding so that they can achieve their writing purpose and learning goals more effectively. It should not simply repeat what has been taught in a Shared Writing session.